Clutch.



5 No. 856,971. PATENTED JUNE 11, 1907.

W. H. MACDONALD- CLUTCH.

APPLIOATION FILED APB-7, 1902.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. MAoDONALD, OF BOSTON, MASSAOIIUSE' TS, ASSIGNOR TO JAMES S.WILSON, OF CHELSEA, MASSACHUSETTS.

CLUTCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 11, 1907.

Application filed April 7,1902. Serial No- 101,795.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM H. MACDON- ALD, of Boston, in the county ofSuffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Clutches, of which the following is a specification.

Thls invention has relation to clutches, and more particularly to thetype wherein is em ployed an expansible ring with provisions whereby thesame may be expanded or 0011- tracted to connect or disconnect twoclutch members.

The invention consists in certain structural features which are setforth in the accompanying specification, illustrated upon the drawingsand partieularized in the appended claims.

Figure 1 represents in longitudinal vertical section a clutch embodyingthe invention. Fig. 2 represents an end elevation of the same, thesliding conical sleeve being shown in sec tion. Fig. 3 represents asection on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 represents one of theoscillatory cam members for actuating one of the wedges to expand thering.-

On the drawing, a indicates a shaft having loosely mounted thereon apulley b with an annular flange 6 which constitutes one of the clutchmembers. Keyed to the shaft there is a disk or wheel 0 which constitutesthe other of the clutch members. Interposed between the members I) andc, which are con centrioally arranged one within the other as shown inFig. 3, there is a split ring consisting of two sections 6 e. The numberof sections into which the ring is divided is immaterial, but for allgeneral purposes I find that two sections will produce satisfactoryresults. Each ring section is held against axial movement by pins (2which extend radially outward from the member 0 through apertures in thering sections. This construction permits the two sections to move towardand from each other bodily, and further enables the ends of the sectionsto spring outwardly in case said sections are formed of metal, which ismore or less resilient, whereby there is secured a greater frictionalengagement of the ring sections with the encircling clutch member Z).Either of the two members may be employed to drive the other, but, forthe sake of simplicity in description, I refer to the member I) as thedriving member and to the member 0 as the driven member.

This language, however, is used for the purpose of description and notof limitat on.

Under normal conditions, the driving member turns freely withoutengaging sections 0 sullieiently to effect a rotation of the member a.In order, however, to frictionally connect the two members, the ringsections are beveled at their ends as indicated at 6 and interposedbetween said beveled ends are wedges It as illustrated in Fig. 3. Byforcing the wedges h 'adially outward between the ring section, thelatter frictionally connect the member 0 and the member b. The means bywhich the wedges are moved radially outward comprise flattenedrock-shafts f placed between the wedges and the member 0. Said rockshafts have peripheral grooves f for the peripheral flange 0 on themember 0 whereby they are held against axial movement, said rock shaftsbeing located in sockets in said member-c. The rock shafts lie parallelto the axis of rotation of the clutch members, and on their outer endsare formed or secured arms f by which said shafts may be rocked orpartially rotated On the end of each arm there is an ell-set f, throughwhich is passed a screwf adapted to be held in any position to which itmay be adjusted by a set nut The screws f are substantially radialrelatively to the shaft a and they are adapted to be engaged by theconical end g of a sleeve or collar 9 loosely sliding on the shaft a.This sleeve or collar is adapted to be moved by the usual yoke (notshown), its function being to en age the screws in the ends of the armsj and swing the said arms outward so as to rock the shafts f and forcethe wedges radially outward so as to spread the ends of the ringsections apart, whereby said ring sections frictionally engage theperiphery of the split ring with the inner frictional surface of themember I).

It will be evident that in lieu of the elements which I have described,I may employ mechanism equivalent therefor without departing from thespirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus explained the nature of the invention, and described a wayof construction and using the same, although without attempting tosetforth all of the forms in which it may be made, or all of the modesof its use, I declare that what I claim is A clutch comprising twomembers, one of which encircles the other and of which one is providedwith an annular flange, pins projecting radially from the inner clutchmember, a plurality of ring-sections slidingly mounted on said pins andarranged between said members with their ends in proximity, shaftsarranged parallel to the axis of rotation of said members, arms on theends of said shafts adapted to be engaged by a sleeve and thrustoutwardly to rock said shafts, cam-members on said shaft, and wedgesadapted to be engaged by said cam-members whereby the rocking of saidshafts separates said ring-seetions and causes them to engage the outerclutch member.

In testimony whereof I have afliXed my signature, in presence of twowitnesses.

WILLIAM H. MACDONALD.

WVitnesses:

M. B. MAY, GEORGE PEZZETTI.

